Easy opening, reclosable container



Aug. 14, 1945. c.v BLOEDORN I 8 8- EASY OPENING, RECLOSABLE CONTRINER' Filed Nov. 2, 1943 Fig.1

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EASY OPENING, RECLOSABLE CONTAIN ER Clyde H. Bloedorn, Evanston, Ill., assignor to 0011-. tlnental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 2, 1943, Serial No. 508,729

3 Claims.

The invention relates generally to container structures formed of metal and primarily seeks to provide a simple and inexpensively constructed container having a novel form of end closure which provides an efilclent hermetic seal and yet can be readily pried oil the container and then replaced at will to effect a reclosure of said container.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in providing in a container of the character stated a body having at its open end an outwardly turned hem, and a cover having a heel portion snugly fitting in said open end and an outwardly turned flange terminating in an inwardly turned hook or bead, said flange having a sealing compound applied .over its under surface and extending from a point on the outer wall of the heel over to and in contact with the inwardly turned extremity of the hook or' bead, and said flange in the closing of the container being turned or rolled against the body end portion, as by a first operation seaming roll action, to press the sealing compound over and against the body end hem and the cover hook or bead in cover locking engagement under said hem.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the character stated in which the hem equipped open end extremity of the body is slightly flared and the cover heel slightly tapered to snugly lit the flare so that when the cover hook is pressed in looking engagement under the body hem the cover flange rolled over the body hem is held in tension with the tapered cover heel engaging in tight sealing contact in its flared bodyseat.

. of the container and also provides a lock shoul- With the above and other objects in view that s will hereinafter appearythe nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation and part cross sectional view illustrating a container structure der as will hereinafter appear.

The container cover or end closure is provided with a centrally depressed body portion 9 which merges into a'slightly tapered, flared seat engaging heel lll insertible into the end of the container body and which in turn merges into an outwardly turned flange II. The flange edge extremity is turned under in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2 to provide a hook or bead l2, and it will be observed by reference to said Figure 2 that a sealing compound I3 is applied to the under surface of the flange starting from a point It on theouter surface of the heel ill and extending over to and in contact with the inwardly tumed extremity of the hook l2 as indicated at l5.

In effecting the closure or sealing of the container, the slightly tapered heel lb of the end closure is inserted in the hem defined open end of the containenso as to engage in the flared body seat 8 and contact the end extremity of said hemmed body opening with the sealing compound l3. With the end closure properly inserted in the open end of the container, the flange II is turned or rolled against the hemmed body end in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3, as by a first operation seaming roll contact, so as to cause the sealing compound I3 to press in tight hermetic sealing contact over the open end extremity of the hem I, and also against the outer face of the hem. This downward and inward rolling of the closure flange places the closure hook or head H, in position for engaging as a yieldable lock shoulder, as ,at It, beneath the hem i. This yieldable locking of the hook l2 under the hem 1 holds the rolled cover flange I I in tension with the tapered cover heel l0 engaging in tight sealing contact in its flared body seat 8 and with the sealing compound l3 distributed in two annular pockets as at I! and I8 one at either side of the annular zone I 9 at which said compound is tightly compressed against the endwise and outwardly exof the container and can be readily removed by prying contact'of any suitable liitingjnol, the lock shoulder provided by the bead II, as at it, yielding outwardly to a sumcient degree to clear the hem '8. After the container has been initially opened it may be reclosed at will by simply applying the closure over the hem l and applying downward pressure thereon to cause the hook or head it to slip down over and lock under said hem.

While the herein disclosed container structure can be adapted for many uses. it is Particularly adaptable for the packaging of baby foods because it can be conveniently opened and reclosed in the manner described and without the necessity of applying tools of the nature of the usual can opener and which would be likely to provide metal shavings which might flnd their way into the container and con w l v products therein.

It is of course to be understood that the details oi structure and the arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: v

1. in a container, 9, body having an open end deijined by an outwardly turned hem, a cover of the pry-d type having a heel portioninsertible in said open end and an outwardly turned flange terminating in an inwardly turned bead, and sealing compound applied in the under surface of said flange only and extending irom said heel portion over to and in contact with the inwardly turned extremity of said bead, said fie extending outwardly and downwardly about the hemmed end oi the container in position for pressing the sealing compound in tight sealing contact over and against the outer face of said hem with the inwardly turned portion of the cover bead engaging in metal to metal contact tremity oi said hem with and extending under the lower extremity -of said hem as a yieldable loci; shoulder.

2. In a container, a body having an open end defined by an outwardly turned hem, acover of the pry-oil type having a heel portion insertible in said open end and an outwardly turned flange terminating in an inwardly turned bead, and sealing compound applied to the under surface of said flange only and extending from said heel portion over to and in contact with the inwardly turned extremity of said bead, said flange extending outwardly and downwardly about the hemmed end of the container in position for pressing the sealing compound in tight sealing contact over and against the outer face of said hem with the cover bead engaging as a yleldable lock shoulder under said hem,. said hemmed body end being slightly flaredtb form a closure heel receiving seat and said closure heel being tapered to snugly fit said seat and be securely held thereon by the lock shoulder engagement of the cover bead under said hem.

3. In a container, a body having an open end defined by an outwardly turned hem, a cover of the pry-oi? type having a heel portion insertible in said open end and an outwardly turned flange terminating 'in an inwardly turned bead, and sealing compound applied to the under surface of said flange only and extending from a point on the outer wall of said heel portion to and in contact with the inwardly turned extremity of said head, said flange extending outwardly and downwardly about the hemmed end of the container in position for pressing the sealing compound in tight sealing contact over and against the outer face of said hem with said compound distributed in two annular pockets one at either side of a central highly compressed annular zone against the endwise and outwardly extended portion of the hem, and spaced 9, distance from said head and with the inwardly turned portion of the cover bead engaging in metal to metal contact with and extending under the lower exas a yieldable lock shoulder,

CLYDE H. BLOEDORN. 

